Maynard, Back in these days, it was quite common for a pregnant woman to return to her mother's and father's home to give birth, especially if they lived on the frontier, so to speak. Additionally, it is not very far from Jacksonboro, which was the county seat of Screven County prior to 1849, to the Barnwell, Allendale, or Hampton Districts of South Carolina, and there was fairly easy access to S. C. at Burton's Ferry (where the Hwy 301 bridge now is). This would not only account for Hester's being absent from the 1840 census, but William's birthplace being S. C. As far as some of the others missing from the 1830 census, the enumerators were not always accurate or did 100% of the people. Some people lived so far back in the woods that they couldn't be found, or were perhaps so mean that no one wanted to have anything to do with them. Remember how evil and rough the people were in Jacksonboro when Lorenzo Dow came through about 1821? Anyway, I hope that this helps. From my point of view, you're on the right track. Happy hunting! Scottie